How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Dracut Massachusetts
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Dracut MA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Dracut home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetics Training Programs
Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing. More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.
Esthetician Job Description
Estheticians provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Dracut Massachusetts clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Dracut MA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Dracut home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Dracut MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Dracut MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Dracut MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Dracut MA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
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Enroll in the Right Dracut Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Dracut Massachusetts.
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